More Pelosi

In reading up on the next Pelsoi moment, I found a interesting piece on Salon.com about the choices for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Alcee Hastings:

In 1988, the House approved 17 articles of impeachment against Hastings, who was then a federal district judge sitting in the Southern District of Florida. The congressional impeachment stemmed from his unsuccessful 1981 federal prosecution on charges that a lawyer named William Borders had solicited a $150,000 bribe on his behalf from Frank and Thomas Romano, two brothers convicted of racketeering whose sentencing came before Hastings. Borders, a longtime Hastings friend and a prominent African-American attorney, was found guilty and sent to prison.

Jane Harman

she faces a significant handicap aside from the enmity of the new speaker and her alleged coziness with Republicans. She is reportedly the subject of a federal investigation concerning her relationship with the powerful lobbyists at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. In a probe that grew out of the Larry Franklin espionage case, Harman is alleged to have promised to seek leniency for two AIPAC officials in exchange for the powerful lobby's support of her bid for the HPSCI chair. She vehemently denies that accusation.

This may be petty, I found this quote from the brilliant and arrogant Robert Novak:

A footnote: Senior CIA officials consider Harman a prima donna and say they dread the thought of dealing with her as chairman. They would much prefer Hastings, finding him consistently cooperative.

Novak also mentions a third nominee:
Rep. Silvestre Reyes of Texas












while Joe Conason of Salon gives his:
Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey








Of the two alternative choices, I've heard the best of Rep. Reyes. But this will get ugly if Pelosi makes her first choice with Rep. Hastings. The Republicans smell blood and will love to get him on open water.
Then with Rep. Harmen you will have the Abramoff-thing and lobbyists come up. Even though she has GOP ties in that, you know they will turn on her for political points, it is politics. As for the other two, they are lay-ups and would allow Pelsoi a few minutes until she screws the pooch again.